BY comrade Ibrahim Muhammad sani
Two saying of IMAM Ali ibn Abi Talib (a s). Read it slowly, because these two sayings are the medicine for the sickness killing Arewa today.
1. THE FIRST SAYING: THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
> *”The beginning of wisdom is to abandon the pleasure of forbidden things, and its peak is to hate the fleeting things of this world.”*
> _Ghurar al-Hikam, Hadith 3054_
*What does it mean?*
Wisdom does not start with a university degree. Wisdom does not start with speaking good English. Wisdom does not start with knowing politics.
Wisdom starts with *leaving haram.*
A man can have a PhD, he can be a governor, he can be a senator — but if he enjoys haram, if he enjoys bribery, if he enjoys lying, if he enjoys oppression — he has no wisdom.
And the peak of wisdom — the highest level — is to *hate this world that will pass away.*
This world will pass. Power will pass. Money will pass. The governor’s seat will pass after 8 years. The government convoy will pass. The title will pass.
The man who understands this will not sell his hereafter for this world. He will not kill people for a seat. He will not lie for an election. He will not steal for his children.
*Lesson for Arewa today:*
Most of our leaders enjoy haram. They enjoy stolen money. They enjoy power gotten through lies. That is why there is no wisdom in our leadership.
If a leader has wisdom, he will leave haram. If he has wisdom, he will hate this world, and he will work for the hereafter and for the poor.
2. THE SECOND SAYING: JUSTICE IS BETTER THAN GENEROSITY
> *Imam Ali (a) was asked: Which is more virtuous, justice or generosity?*
> *He replied: “Justice puts things in their proper place, while generosity takes things out of where they ought to be. Justice is a general character that manages all affairs, while generosity is a quality that appears for a moment. Therefore, justice is superior to generosity in value and virtue.”*
> _Nahjul Balagha, Wisdom 437_
*This is very deep. Let me break it down:*
*Generosity* is: You give a person what is not his. You give him a gift. You do him a favour.
*Justice* is: You give everyone his right. You put everything where it belongs.
Imam Ali says justice is better than generosity, because:
1. *Generosity is temporary.* Today the governor gives you a bag of rice, tomorrow you finish eating it, you return to hunger. Today the politician gives you N5,000, tomorrow the money finishes.
2. *Justice is permanent.* If there is justice, everyone will get his right every day — without begging. The student will get his school. The farmer will get his land. The sick man will get his medicine.
Generosity takes a thing out of its place. Example: You take school money and give it to one man as a gift — you have removed the money from where it belongs. Justice puts school money in the school.
*Lesson for Arewa today:*
In Arewa, we love generosity more than justice.
We love the governor who gives us rice during election more than the governor who builds us schools, hospitals and roads.
We love the politician who gives us money in hand more than the politician who will give us justice in court, in employment, in appointment.
The result: We eat rice today, we cry tomorrow.
Imam Ali is teaching us: *Do not look for a generous leader. Look for a just leader.*
A just leader:
– Will not give you rice, but will give you a job so you can buy rice yourself.
– Will not give you N5,000, but will make sure nobody steals your right.
– Will not favour his brother, will not favour his tribe, will not favour his religion — he will give everyone his right.
CONCLUSION
My brother, these two sayings come together:
*1. Leave haram — that is the beginning of wisdom.*
*2. Seek justice, not generosity — that is the peak of wisdom.*
If Arewa takes these two sayings and works with them in 2027:
– We will not vote for the one who gives the most money, we will vote for the one who does the most justice.
– We will not vote for the one who makes the most promises, we will vote for the one who leaves haram the most.
May Allah give us the wisdom of Imam Ali. May Allah give us leaders of justice, not leaders of fake generosity.
Comrade Ibrahim Muhammad Sani*
_Arewa Advocate_
